Elizabeth
by Candika
Summary: Ever since a child, Wesley had sworn to protect the only girl he had ever truly loved. Sweet and innocent Elizabeth, his only younger sister. He promised that he would always be there for her and protect her from all the wrongs of the world, but the one t
1. Chapter 1

Author: Candika Summery: Ever since a child, Wesley had sworn to protect the only girl he had ever truly loved. Sweet and innocent Elizabeth, his only younger sister. He promised that he would always be there for her and protect her from all the wrongs of the world, but the one time when she needed him the most he wasn't there. Spoilers: Near end of season 1.  
  
Hope you like:  
  
Elizabeth  
  
The frail looking girl gazed up at the large building in front of her. Glancing back down at the creased paper in her left hand she confirmed that she was at the right address. Sighing she limped towards the towering doors and stepped over the threshold and in to the Hyperian Hotel. The grand foyer was dark and deserted. Swallowing nervously she walked further into the darkness, her footfalls were silent against the cool marble floor. The silence was deafening and a lone tear slipped from her open blue eye as the gazed around into the intimidating shadows. She never used to be afraid of the dark.  
  
Angel followed the sound of a heartbeat to the foyer of the Hotel. At first he has assumed it would have been either Wesley or Cordelia but as he neared closer he realised that the scent was different. Angel frowned as he stalked silently through the shadows; he could detect the faint smell of old blood and something else. But on top of that there was something more familiar about the scent but he couldn't quite put a finger on it. Shaking his head he neared the darkened Foyer and stopped when he saw the shiloet of a young girl. Her head was bent towards the ground, blonde hair cascading around her face and shoulders. He silently noted the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed heavily; her posture was strained as though she was in pain and about to fall over with exhaustion. Her clothes were rumpled and torn in places and the smell of fear overpowered his senses.  
  
Elizabeth gritted her teeth and took a deep calming breath before raising her head again. Pull yourself together girl, she scalded herself. Straitening her shoulders, she ignored the slight pain that followed, standing tall she called out into the darkness. "H-hello is a-anyone t-t-th-here?" she silently cursed herself for the tremor that crept into her voice. She had to be strong when she faced him, it would not hold well is she showed her weakness.  
  
"Hi, can I help you?" Angel called out to her as he stepped out of the shadows. Elizabeth jumped slightly and brought a hand to her mouth to stop herself from screaming.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" he spoke more calmly and reassuringly as he stepped further away from the shadows and nearer the light.  
  
Elizabeth took a few deep calming breaths as she pulled her hand away from her lips allowing her to speak. "It's ok, y-you j-just startled me. I w-was w-wondering I-if you could h-help me" she took another deep breath before she started to talk again. Her voice sounding stronger and more confident "I'm looking for Wesley Price"  
  
Angle was saved the job of answering as a loud crash and a mumbled "Bloody hell" came from the Hotel door. The lights flickered on revealing a rumpled Wesley with the contents of a box scattered around his feet.  
  
Wesley was not in a good mood. He had woke up to find out that he had slept in an extra two hours, the hot water had run out at his apartment in the middle of taking a shower. He also wasn't able to find the notes he had made on a really old Keroff demon that had been terrorising the streets of LA. Then he had been stuck in traffic for half an hour only to finally arrive at work two and a half hours late and drop the fragile box he had been carrying all over the Hyperian Hotel floor. In Wesley's opinion life couldn't get anymore worse.  
  
Elizabeth stood and gaped at the British man kneeling on the floor. He had changed so much in the three years that they had been apart. She silently noted his rumpled appearance but doubted that he looked any worse than she did. Tears flew freely from her eyes and a strangled sob erupted from her throat. She knew that the dark hared man was watching her and that she should call out to Wesley but she found her legs unable to move and her voice to constricted to make any form of sound.  
  
Upon hearing the strangled sob, Wesley quickly raised his eyes to find the owner, when he saw whom it was his eyes rounded and he took a deep gasp of shock. No it couldn't be. His mind whispered, but he knew in his heart that it was. Standing up in one fluid motion he whispered "Bloody Hell Elizabeth, What in God's name happened to you . . ."  
  
"Wes . . ." Elizabeth croaked out just before her mind give into the deep exhaustion that had been threatening to take over her body for the last 6 hours. Deep down she knew as the darkness surrounded her mind that she didn't need to fight anymore. Everything would be all right.  
  
Wesley barley heard his name escape her lips as he ran to her side just in time to catch her, as she collapsed to the ground. He looked down at the abused and broken body of the girl he had always sworn to protect and felt tears of anguish slip down his ashen face. He had failed again. 


	2. Chapter 2

Wesley looked down at the unconscious form of his sister, his beautiful Elizabeth, and felt his heart break. For them first time in years he cried openly. Huge broken sobs erupted from his throat as he rocked her still body against his.  
  
Visions of the once happy child he had grown to love danced in his mind. He could remember her childish ways so clearly. The way her eyes sparkled with happiness, the blue shining with love and trust as he spun her small delicate frame through the air-around and around. Her heavenly laughter as he tickled her, how he loved to hear her laugh. When she did her whole face lit up and a big grin spread across her face showing small milk teeth and tiny ever-so-cute dimples. When she ran from him daring him to catch her, her golden hair bouncing in the breeze as the sun made each strand glitter and shine. He remembered the way he used to dress her up in winter just to make sure that she wouldn't get cold. The way his gloves were too big for her small childish hands and how his hat fell down past her eyes. But most of all he remembered the stories he used to tell her about fierce dragons and brave knights and princesses with long golden hair. The stories that kept his sweet Elizabeth entertained on dark cold nights when she couldn't sleep. The stories that used to reassure the frightened child that there was indeed good in the world and that he would always be there to protect her whether she was awake or dreaming.  
  
And he knew, with every grieving part of his being, that those days were gone forever, the girl he now held was not the baby sister which he remembered, she had grown and matured into a beautiful young woman. A young woman who had been abused, beaten and broken. Her once long golden hair was now short, tatted and ragged as though it had been brutally cut with a sharp knife. The once shining golden locks were now dull and dirty, no longer the sparkling gold which he remembered.  
  
Her skin no longer held the healthy tanned glow that he had become accustomed too in her youth. Her skin was now pale and ashen, covered in angry welts and bruises. Bruises that covered her beautiful face and what he imagined covered the rest of her body.  
  
Once glistening bright blue eyes closed with exhaustion and fatigue. Deep black smudges underlined her eyelids making her eyes appear hollow and drown. The deep bruising onlt succeeding to add to the effect.  
  
Lips that once held the most precious smile were now dried, cracked and bloody and he feared that she would never smile again.  
  
Clothes slightly baggy on her thin frame-dirty, torn and stained. The dark black sweatshirt hung past her waist and the sleeves past her fingertips. The material wrinkled and worn away at the edges and even though Wesley couldn't see, he figured her wrists held more angry bruises The harsh darkness made her fair skin seem paler than ever before. The faded blue jeans were ripped and scraped at the knees showing a small amount of skin. Droplets of dried blood had collected on the material as well as the large grazes. And he feared that her body would forever hold the scars of this attack. But most of all he feared that he would never see his beautiful, sweet and caring Elizabeth smile and laugh again. 


	3. Chapter 3

Angel_LLY: Don't worry, it wasn't the end. Heres another part :o) Hope you like it too.  
  
Shmeggy: I am planning on keep writing. Ive had writers block so that's why it took me so long to update  
  
Queen L: Heres the next part. Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad that you liked it enough to beg me to keep writing :o)  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
Angel retreated back to the shadows and watched. His stony gaze firmly fixed upon Wesley and the unfamiliar girl . . . Elizabeth, the watcher had whispered.  
  
Even though the girl was badly beaten and her face covered in bruises and swelling, Angel started to notice small similarities between the two huddled mortals on the floor.  
  
At first the familiar scent had confused him but now he recognised it as being a part of Wesley. She carried the familiar scent of kin. A child born of his blood, a sister.  
  
And now the familiarities became clearer and clearer. They had the same full fair hair, thick and slightly wavy, the only difference being that the girl had more golden streaks making her hair seem slightly fairer. However, its unkempt and dirty tresses dulled the remaining gold into a dusty blonde.  
  
She had the same polite English accent, full of hidden knowledge and uncertainty. The same nervous stutter left her lips when she spoke and the sheer determination behind each spoken word was identical.  
  
Even in pain she stood her ground, full of dignity and stubbornness, head held high, back straight and shoulders squared, the same stance that Wesley often used.  
  
Her eyes, even dulled with fatigue and pain, were still a snapping blue in shade, a colour he had gazed into many times before.  
  
Her skin, fair and pale despite the heavy bruising was both smooth and flawless. The tanned glow that normally covered a humans skin was absent as though the girl had shied away from sunlight for most of her life.  
  
Her build and height, however very feminine, still reminded him of that of the blonde watcher. Her height almost identical and her body compact and slightly small. She looked both thin and delicate and yet had curves in all the right places.  
  
Angel frowned as he tried to puzzle out what could have happened to hurt this young child so much. She looked both starved and beaten within an inch of her life. It looked as though her hair had been brutally cut in an act to humiliate her. Her clothes were not anything that a normal teenager would wear by choice and it seemed to Angel that whoever had done this had done it in order to strip away her personality. Her skin, a very pale shade, was a sign of being away from direct light for a number of days.  
  
Listening closely, Angel studied the girls heart beat and was relieved to hear it beat steadily and evenly. Whatever had hurt her obviously hadn't effected the natural rhythms of her body. Both her breathing and heart rate resembled that of a deep sleeper.  
  
Whatever had happened, he knew that she should be taken directly to the hospital. She was exhausted, possibly suffering from malnutrition and some of her cuts and bruises obviously needed medical attention.  
  
Quickly, Angel walked over to Wesley and the fallen girl. Reaching out slowly, as not to frightened the distraught watcher, he placed his hand gently on his shoulder and began to speak. "We need to get her to the hospital"  
  
When there was no reaction he tried again, slightly shaking the man below him. "Wesley, Wesley!"  
  
When there was still no reaction Angel grabbed the sobbing man roughly and shook him harshly. "Wesley . . . look at me!" he demanded.  
  
As startled and grief stricken blue eyes met his own dark brown he set a grim look on his face and spoke calmly and reassuringly. "Wesley, we have to get her to the hospital. They'll be able to help her. You do want that . . . right?"  
  
The blonde watcher, looked helplessly at the vampire before returning his gaze to his fallen sister, taking a deep breath he set his shoulders in determination and resolve. "Yes . . ." He spoke calmly "We must get Elizabeth to the hospital immediately. Do fetch the car keys, we need to hurry" And with that he stood, lifting the frail girl with him, he held her securely and firmly to his chest as he walked.  
  
Angel nodded as he quickly grabbed the keys from the desk and followed Wesley out of the door and into the night. He was silently glad that the sun had set an hour ago. There was no way that the watcher could have driven in the state that he was in. Only shock, determination and desperation allowed him to carry her body effortlessly without help.  
  
At that moment the only thought passing through Wesley's mind was to protect his youngest sibling and to get her to safety. He knew instinctively that Angel would help to get her there.  
  
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW REVIEW :O) 


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4  
  
Angel quickly overtook the small blue Ford car in front of him and immediately swerved to the left to avoid the oncoming red van. Pressing his foot harder on the accelerator he sped swiftly down the somewhat empty streets of LA.  
  
Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he studied Wesley silently. His skin was pale and taunt, almost expressionless, his cheeks were stained with dried tear tracks and he was shaking. To Angel, he looked broken. He had never seen the English man so tired and crushed before and the vampire didn't know how to help him, he just hoped that when they got to the hospital everything would work out to be ok.  
  
The only noticeable sign of life in Wesley was the steady beat of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. He had pulled Elizabeth's body onto his lap and securely held her to him, it was a position he had often took with her when she was a little girl.  
  
Even though Wesley sat perfectly still, thousands of thoughts ran through his brain but only one kept repeating itself over and over again and he prayed to god that it was wrong.  
  
He had always sworn that he would protect her and shield her from them and if they had done this . . . if *they* were responsible for this, then not even the powers could protect him from his wrath.  
  
He had grown up with that life. He had taken the abuse-both the insults and the physical blows. He had believed the words that were shouted at him and he had always thought that he had deserved the punishments that were given to him. He had always been the useless one . . . the failure . . . the disappointment . . . the one that brought constant shame on the family.  
  
He was the black sheep, the disgrace and the mistake . . . but not Elizabeth.  
  
Elizabeth had been the opposite; she had been the star in their eyes. Where Wesley had failed his sister had succeeded.  
  
From a very early age their childhood's had been stripped from them and they had been placed in an environment of constant studying and learning. At the age of three they had been forced to participate in training-both at home and a watcher school. The atmospheres had been very strict and childish antics were frowned upon. Clumsiness, forgetfulness and sluggish learners had been punished harshly and that had often been Wesley at a young age.  
  
A young child should never have been treated that way, and Wesley had always ensured that Elizabeth still had fun in her childish years. His youth had been ripped from him and he made sure that Elizabeth's had not.  
  
Elizabeth had always been a very energetic child, full of enthusiasm and childish joy and Wesley had give her all the love that he possessed, more than enough to compensate for their parents lack of affection.  
  
He had sheltered her from their harsh words, protected her when she had made a mistake and he had willingly taken the blame for everything that he could.  
  
He had helped he in her studies when she was lagging behind and give her access to his own work and investigations. Under his careful eye and loving care, she had flourished and became the top of her class.  
  
Their parents had been so proud of Elizabeth and their father had never again tried to slate her with angry words or punishments that she didn't deserve.  
  
The years had passed and she had become smarter, more brave and a little bit more daring. She was everything a daughter should be and when Wesley left for America, he knew that the sixteen-year-old would be safe and cared for. He had been reassured that no harm would come to her from her family's hands.  
  
Looking down at the girl in his arms, he was once again filled with self- hatred, it was all his fault . . .it always was.  
  
He should have been there to protect her.  
  
And poor Elizabeth had once again suffered for his actions.  
  
He swore to himself that he would not repeat the same mistakes twice .  
  
He wouldn't fail again . . . he die first.  
  
~~*I wanted to thank the following for their reviews: Angel_Iiy, Kai, Alli, Shahid, Pewwy, Tariq, Queen L, ChasingAngel. So THANK YOU ALL!*~~  
  
I know it's taken me a while to update but I really don't want to rush this story. This chapter is all about their childhood's and how they grew up! 


	5. Chapter 5

I wanted to say thanks to all those who reviewed my last chapter :o)  
  
Angeleyes-Im really glad that you are enjoying this fic. When the idea first came to me I wasn't sure that I should write it. I'm so glad that I have tho :o) hope you like this chapter  
  
Lorelai Anastasia- I'm really glad that you like it and I love this fic too. Writing it gives me loads of possibilities and out comes. Just so many stuff I could include into this fic. I love it :o)  
  
Tariq- I am going to include all the other characters in it. There will be no Fred cos she hasn't entered it yet. But there will be Angel, Wesley, Cordy, Gunn and a bit of Lorne. You don't have to worry though there will be no Angel/Cordelia in this fic.  
  
Pyro Bear-Thanks a lot for your review, I greatly appreciate it. Don't worry I'm not going to rush any of the chapters cos I don't want to spoil it. Unfortunately there are only two siblings. Wesley and Elizabeth. Wesley will become Elizabeth's guardian in the story but it'll be hard to include a younger kid. There are going to be a lot of more original characters in it and a trip to England too.  
  
Anyway onto the story . . .  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
The journey to the hospital was quick and silent and as Angel drove his car towards the emergency doors, Wesley began to stir.  
  
"Were almost there Elizabeth, everything's going to be alright now " he spoke as he tenderly ran his fingers through her mattered hair.  
  
Pulling up in front of the hospital, Angel quickly switched of the engine and went to help Wesley with his sister. Opening the back door, he reached over to pick up Elizabeth only to be halted by Wesley.  
  
"I've got her Angel, but thanks for the consideration" The watcher spoke as he began to life his sibling out of the car.  
  
Angel sighed and held the door open for him, making sure to keep a careful eye on his friend.  
  
Wesley was still shaking as he walked through the electric doors. Elizabeth weight was heavy in his arms, but sheer determination kept him walking. His muscles started to tremble in fatigue, but he didn't care, there was no way he was going to let go of her.  
  
He was only partly aware of Angel calling for assistance and a couple of seconds later doctors and emergency staff were rushing towards him. In a trace-like state he placed Elizabeth on the hospital stretcher.  
  
Immediately he was bombarded with questions and Wesley, with the help of Angel, tried his best to answer.  
  
The leading nurse took charge straight away and began to wheel Elizabeth down the hospital corridor and towards an emergency room.  
  
Wesley, holding tightly to his sister's hand followed silently, only speaking to answer questions.  
  
As they neared the room, one of the male doctors stood in front of Wesley and informed him that he had to wait outside. He was about to object, when he felt Angel's hand on his shoulder.  
  
"They know what their doing Wes. Your sisters in good hands" Angel spoke calmly and softly.  
  
"Thank you Angel" Wesley spoke in gratitude as he stared through the glass window and watched the doctors and nurses working.  
  
Angel offered a small smile and remained at his side.  
  
*  
  
Nurse Elsie had seen a lot in her years of working in Los Angeles General Hospital. She had seen people shot, stabbed, hit by cars and badly mutilated. But the sight of this young child broke her heart. At a guess Elsie would say she was only nineteen years old and whoever had done this to her was an animal.  
  
When they had brought the girl into the room, her jumper had immediately been removed, so that they could attach a heart monitor to her. it was then that Elsie had gasped at the extent of the damage. There were large and small bruises all over her torso as well as deep infected scratches. That wasn't what horrified her though. What made her heart ache was the extent of them. Her skin was like one big bruise and what stood out the most was the shape of most of them.  
  
They were hand shaped ones around her neck, shoulders, hips and wrists.  
  
Swallowing a lump in her throat, Elsie looked up through the window and gazed into the wide eyes of Wesley Price. He let out a loud choked sob and would have collapsed if it had not been for his friend supporting him.  
  
The emergency team rushed around her, waiting for her orders and Elsie forced her self to concentrate on her job.  
  
"Elizabeth can you hear me?" She asked as she leant over her as she shined a small light in her patient's right eye. There was no response and Elsie clucked her tongue at the result. The pupil was slow in reacting to the light which indicated a lot of problems, but Elsie had a feeling that she knew exactly what it was. Checking the soft tissue at the under side of the eye, she noted that it was very pale, repeating the test on the left eye she found the same results.  
  
Barking out orders, the team around her quickly reacted. "Patient is severely anaemic and dehydrated. I want her put on a drip immediately as well as a blood transfusion" Gesturing to Elizabeth's body, she spoke again. "I want a full body examination and x-rays and I want them Now!" She ordered loudly to the team, turning to Dr Neilson she spoke softly. "She's been badly assaulted. The bruises" She paused trying to think of the right words "Some look very old, while others are fresh. Carl, I want a female examination tem set up"  
  
"You think she was raped?" He asked quietly, his voice was carefully controlled, while his eyes flashed in anger. There was nothing the staff hated more then cases like this.  
  
"I think theres a possibility that she was raped repeatedly" Elsie answered truthfully, her voice cracked slightly with emotion as she glanced through the window and looked directly at her patients distraught brother. "I just hope I'm wrong"  
  
Little did Elsie know, a dark hared vampire had heard everything.  
  
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So what do you think? A little more was reviled this time. I have serious plans for whats happened to her and I need to introduce loads of new characters but I don't know how im going to do it. I know what happened and how, but I don't know whether to write it as a flash back, a remembering dream or write it as she tells them what happened. Ugh! Never mind I guess I'll write when inspiration strikes me :o)  
  
PLEASE REVIEW :O) 


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